Reddit mentions of Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock

You can't go wrong with Vegan with a Vengeance.

Hey rastamon, I was a varsity athlete through all of college and went vegan in junior + senior year. At first it was tough to switch cause it requires more prep work but it is definitely possible and you'll feel better. So, to alleviate your concerns when it comes to protein, if things get really bad and you just don't feel like cooking a heavy meal at all here's a pretty good go to - http://shop.myvega.com/products/vega-sport/recover.html?mode=grid . This is a line of nutrition shakes created by a vegan ironman triathlete that is dopest shit around lol. This is just the recovery shake but there are lots of different types of shakes. Hemp protein powder is another good example of a good and dense protein shake (can get it at GNC for example).

As for the food / cooking part, if you eat a well balanced diet you'd be surprised how much protein you will actually get. For specific protein based foods that are my favorites, I'd have to say nuts, lentils (red lentils... so fucking good when cooked right), quinoa, tempeh, seitan, soy (try not to eat too much of it for a variety of reasons), avacado (just an all around awesome food), seeds (pumpkin, flax seeds, etc.), brocolli surprisingly and a few other veggies have quite a lot protein, and lastly beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans, any sort of beans has a lot of protein usually). Most of the vegan milks like almond milk and hemp milk are pretty good on the protein side.

The only thing that you really need to make sure of is to get b-12 pills cause when you drop eating meat that is the vitamin you will be missing most. I take one weekly and it definitely goes a long way (although I think some of the vega shakes have b-12 in them).

As a vegan working out and burning upwards of 2000+ calories in 2-3 hour workouts, I was eating a lot of food so I understand what you mean about wanting nutrient dense foods, but I think you will definitely get the hang of it once you start learning the recipes and plan for it.

I highly recommend this book - http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Vengeance-Delicious-Animal-Free-Recipes/dp/1569243581 for all around good cooking and this one - http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Diner-Classic-Comfort-Food/dp/0762437847/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368216762&sr=1-1&keywords=vegan+diner for the seitan loafs that you can make yourself (if you ever need help with these ones then just direct message me and i can gladly help out cause this shit is the dank... simply put. It's the closest thing to a chicken / meat replacement i've had once you tweak the recipe to get it the way you like and so much cheaper than buying it from the store).

I think that covers most of the initial questions unless I left out something...

EDIT: also, nutritional yeast is going to be your new BFF soon - doubly dankness

Getting the required amount of protein is no problem for either a vegetarian or vegan diet/lifestyle. You must simply mix incomplete proteins in one meal in order to account for a complete protein. The most used example is mixing rice with beans. Whereas most non-animal protein sources must be mixed, there are a few which stand alone as a complete protein. Vegan complete protein sources include soy and quinoa (a grain). Quinoa is really delicious and can be used from a couscous alternative, to a main bulk ingredient to stuffed peppers.

As for recipes, I suggest Isa Chandra Moskowitz

The PPK (PostPunkKitchen) has some good recipes, but I would really suggest buying her book Vegan For a Vengeance.

Vegan with a Vengance! Even if you're not Vegan it's got some good stuff (like carrot raisin muffins).

Three big ones that immediately come to mind:

• The China Study
  
  
• Animal Liberation
  
  
• Vegan with a Vengance

The flawless recipe from Vegan With a Vengeance with an extra tsp of cinnamon and a cup of local mcintosh apples grated in.

I find that Vegan with a Vengeance not only has great baked goods recipes, but the author also explains why she uses the ingredients she does.

It's the prefabbed meat substitute and fermented nut cheese section of the store that is too expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Vegetarian-Meatless/dp/0764524836

https://www.amazon.com/BOSH-Recipes-Amazing-Plants-highest-selling-ebook/dp/B0722J1XDB

https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Vengeance-Delicious-Animal-Free-Recipes/dp/1569243581

My wife went Vegan about two months ago due to Health issues. She picked up Vegan with a Vengeance and raves about it. I've had roughly a dozen recipes from the book, and for the most part they're very good.

If you're unfamiliar with Veganism, it's basically a diet where one does not consume animals or animal products. I still eat meat products (no red meat), but I can say that I don't miss the meat in the meals she makes. There are lots of good alternatives out there.

It's hard to choose but my favorites atm are: Vegan Yum Yum, Vegan with a Vengeance, and Vegan Family Meals.

Check out Vegan with a Vengance.

That cook book author has many great books, but that one is geared most toward cheap and quick meals.

VWAV

Isa can do no wrong. Be sure to check out her two books as well:

Vegan With A Vengeance
http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Vengeance-Delicious-Animal-Free-Recipes/dp/1569243581/

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World
http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Cupcakes-Take-Over-World/dp/1569242739/

My wife and I have cooked with many of her recipes, and we have yet to encounter a bad dish. Even non-vegans I know have really enjoyed her desserts.

I just bought Vegan with a Vengeance, Isa Chandra Moskowitz's first cookbook, and I love it. I've already tried a few recipes, and the pancake mix recipe is perfect.

Other than that, my standbys are anything Moosewood, like Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates or Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. I also like Toni Fiore's Totally Vegetarian, especially for the Italian recipes.